According to reports in The Guardian, the residents’ group - which was established in 1972 and aims to “preserve the character of Soho” - has voted for a new licensing mandate meaning it will challenge all new applications for bars and restaurants in the area, including renewals of existing licences.
It will also object to any venue that wishes to open beyond “core hours”, which Westminster Council defines as ending at 11pm.
In a briefing that originally appeared in the Sunday Times, Khan said: “The Soho Society’s decision to oppose all new and extended licence applications is the wrong one – it’s bad for London.”
He pointed to new powers granted to him by government that are due to come into force later this year.
These powers would allow him to overturn decisions made by local councils to block pubs and bars from opening.
Revealed earlier this year and currently in the consultation stage, the Mayor of London’s Draft London Strategic Licensing Policy 2026–31 sets out the Mayor’s vision for licensing across the capital, establishing principles that all 33 London boroughs must follow when making licensing decisions.
In theory, the proposed changes should bring greater consistency.
Currently, boroughs take very different approaches to licensing, meaning it is far easier to acquire or amend a licence in some areas than in others.
“Too often we’ve heard from pubs, clubs, music venues, restaurants and others that have struggled to get the licences they need to succeed,” Khan says. “That’s why I’m working to create a system that will end the ‘licensing postcode lottery’ and works for businesses, boroughs and Londoners alike.”
The proposals would also give the Mayor a formal strategic role in London’s licensing system for the first time.
Key changes that could make it easier to obtain and amend licences include an explicit pushback on blanket conditions and rigid core hours policies, with each application assessed on its merits.
This could effectively bring an end to controversial Cumulative Impact Assessments (CIAs) that allow councils to refuse new licences.
The document also recognises that SMEs and grassroots operators are disproportionately burdened by the current system, and signals greater support for flexible, multi-purpose business models.
Another significant shift is the proposal to place responsibility for noise mitigation on residential developers building near existing hospitality venues.